Page 10 of Don’t Say You’re Sorry (Hawthorne University #2)

ADAM

T hree days later, I’m leaning back against a new rental car on Easton’s driveway with all my shit in the boot, waiting for him to get home.

It’s official. I’m back in Hawthorne. For good.

I don’t have anywhere to stay yet, but I’m hoping that won’t be the case for much longer.

And if it doesn’t work out the way I want it to, I know my mum would take me in with open arms, but I haven’t even told her I’m back yet.

I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I’m hoping I can smooth things over with Easton first, make sure he doesn’t throw my ass out of his life for good before I risk getting my mum’s hopes up just to crush them again.

Plus, there’s the fact that my stepdad doesn’t want me anywhere near his son.

I’m not looking forward to that conversation, so I’m stalling.

Axel has a flat to give up and a job to quit in London, so he probably won’t catch up with me for a week or two.

He thinks I’m insane for packing up and moving back here in less than three days, but really, he knows I’ve been wanting to do this for a lot longer than that.

Since the day I left Easton, I’ve been wanting to run right back to him. It was only a matter of time.

I take out my phone and check the time again.

It’s Wednesday, just after seven p.m. I assumed he’d have classes today, but I didn’t think he’d be home this late.

I’ve been here for a few hours now, and again, I haven’t eaten since breakfast, which consisted of a granola bar and a shitty petrol station coffee.

Knowing Easton wouldn’t be pleased with that, I’m just about to get back in the car, go to grab some food, and come back later, when a car I recognize from when I was here the other night pulls up on the driveway.

It’s Nate. Xavi’s with him, his lips parted in surprise as he looks at me from the passenger seat.

They both get out of the car and walk toward me, hand in hand. Nate’s glaring at me. Xavi looks amused. I can’t tell if he’s the reason for that look on Nate’s face, or if I am.

“Hey,” Xavi says to me. “You’re here.”

Nate turns his glare down to Xavi.

“Hey. Yeah, I…” I glance between them, not really sure what to make of the situation. Are they having a lovers’ spat right now? How awkward.

Just as I open my mouth to ask if they know where Easton is, Nate says, “There’s a bedroom opposite Easton’s. It’s yours.”

I blink at him.

He cocks a brow. “You know where it is, right?”

“Oh. Um… Wait, Easton knows I…?” Confused, I frown. “I haven’t talked to him about staying here yet. He doesn’t even know I’m back.”

Nate just stares at me, ignoring what I said. There’s a warning look in his eyes that tells me he’s very capable of causing me physical harm should I give him a reason to. “You better be serious about this.”

With that, he guides Xavi around me and opens the front door. When I don’t move, staring after them with my mouth parted, Nate turns and hits me with an impatient look. Afraid he might change his mind if I don’t move my ass, I grab the bags from my car and head inside.

“Do you need help with those?” Xavi asks. “Nate can carry them for y?—”

Behind him, Nate shuts him up by pulling his head back by his hair, looking at him upside down from above. “Keep running your bratty little mouth,” he warns, and Xavi grins.

With his free hand, Nate tosses me a key for the front door. I manage to catch it despite my hands being full. He doesn’t move or take his eyes off his boyfriend.

I head toward the stairs, hearing the two have a whispered conversation as I make my way up. I can’t hear what they’re saying at first, but then Xavi hisses, “It wouldn’t kill you to be nice,” and I hear that just fine.

I keep walking, smiling to myself at their antics, as weird as they are.

Nate sighs. “Adam,” he calls, and I stop, turning my head. “Make yourself at home. Ignore Carter. He’s harmless until provoked. And stay away from Frankie.”

“Okay… Why?”

“She doesn’t like you very much.”

“Thanks.”

He nods. I guess that’s as nice as he gets. Still, I appreciate the sentiment. He doesn’t know me, and doesn’t owe me anything. Especially if he knows what I did to his friend.

He and Xavi disappear into the kitchen, and I head upstairs to my new bedroom.

Dropping my bags on the floor, I shut the door behind me and gape at the space.

It’s massive—a mirror image of Easton’s room across the hall.

The bed sits against the back wall between two windows overlooking the in-ground pool and hot tub in the sprawling garden.

A walk-in wardrobe is on my right, and an en-suite bathroom on the left.

How many bathrooms does this place even have? Is there one in every bedroom?

How much is the rent?

My artwork brings in a decent amount of money, but I’d hoped to slow down and try something else for a while. Not that I don’t love drawing—it’s just that getting paid for it sometimes takes the fun out of it. Now, I’ll have to sell twice as much art just to afford living here.

Sitting on the side of the bed, I rest my elbows on my knees and scrub my hands over my face.

I don’t believe how… easy this was. I thought Easton would at least pretend to put up a fight.

I thought he’d make me beg a little. I thought I’d have to convince him this isn’t the worst idea I’ve ever had, even though we both know that it is.

A soft knock at the door has me lifting my head, my body coiled tight with anticipation.

“Adam?” It’s Xavi, not Easton.

I blow out a breath. “Yeah?”

Opening the door, he pokes his head inside, glancing at the untouched bags on the floor, then at me on the bed.

“Have you eaten?” he asks.

Shit. “No.”

Chuckling like we share a secret, he tips his chin. “Come on. Nate’s making burgers.”

“These are amazing,” I say around a mouthful of my cheeseburger.

Nate’s manning the barbecue in the garden, shirtless, his ball cap turned backward.

Xavi’s watching him from the edge of the pool, his chin resting on his arms as he flutters his lashes up at his man.

Dripping wet from my swim, I’m lying on one of the sun loungers, my legs spread, feet planted on either side of it, the evening air cool on my skin.

The sun is setting behind the hills in the distance, the sky painted blue and pink and orange.

It’s beautiful, and I wish Easton were here to see it.

He’d look so good in front of that background.

I make a mental note for my next drawing, picturing the expression he might have if he could see me now.

Maybe he’s avoiding me, torturing me by making me wait. The thought that he’s probably with Carter and Frankie makes my stomach churn with jealousy. Maybe it’s normal for them to get home this late, but I’m too chicken to ask the boys out of fear of them calling me out.

Once all the food is cooked, Nate grabs Xavi under the arms, lifts him out of the pool as if he weighs nothing, and carries him to one of the sun loungers opposite me.

Content to be manhandled like a doll, Xavi curls up between Nate’s thighs, his head on Nate’s chest, his eyes closed as Nate thumbs his hips, drawing small circles there.

I want that.

I fucking had that. And I threw it away.

Averting my gaze, I chew the inside of my cheek and play with the drawstring on my swim shorts.

“You and Easton have the same tattoo,” Nate says, and I snap my eyes back to him just as Xavi opens his, searching for the word on my chest. “Sunshine.” Nate reads it aloud, still grazing Xavi’s hips with his thumbs. “Is that you?”

“No,” I say quietly. “He’s the sun.”

They both stare at me for a few beats.

Embarrassed, I clear my throat, shifting in my seat. “Does he know I’m here?”

Eyes narrowing slightly, Nate shakes his head.

“Don’t tell him. I want to see the look on his face when he sees me.”

He cocks his head at me.

I look away again, feeling their eyes on me as they continue to stare.

I huff, lifting my brows at them. “What?”

Nate laughs, a mix of annoyance and amusement on his face. “You really don’t know, do you? I’ve never met anyone who’s more oblivious than Xavi is.”

“Oblivious to what?”

He tips his chin down at my body. “You have no idea how hot you look right now, which is the only reason I haven’t kicked your ass for sitting like that in front of my boy.”

What?

My cheeks heat as I look down the length of my body, my spread legs, my hands on my lap, the droplets of water dripping off my hair and running down my chest.

Sitting up, I grab my towel and dry my hair, using it to cover the top half of my body.

“I’m not oblivious,” Xavi grumbles.

“How many people looked at you like they wanted to fuck you at the coffee shop today?” Nate asks.

Xavi scrunches his nose. “None.”

“Eight.”

Xavi splutters. “You’re exaggerating.”

“I’m not. I counted,” Nate mutters, his fingers moving around to Xavi’s stomach.

Xavi rolls his eyes. “They were probably looking at you , Captain.”

It’s Nate’s turn to scrunch his nose. “How do you not see it?”

Xavi grins, tipping his head back to look at him. “I only have eyes for you, baby,” he teases.

Nate’s jaw tics at the endearment as he wraps a hand around Xavi’s throat, dipping his head to say something in his ear.

Whatever it is has Xavi squirming, his eyes closing as his mouth parts.

He arches his back, and I drop my eyes to watch the way Nate’s fingers flex around his neck.

I look lower, my gaze snagging on the little metal bars pierced through Xavi’s nipples.

Nate pinches one of them with his free hand, making Xavi’s body jerk, and I snap my eyes back up, finding Nate’s already on me.

“I will kill you,” he warns, and I’m pretty sure he means it.